Vehicle message addressing

Abstract

A vehicle messaging method (600) and system (100) can include any number of data sources (101-103), an interface (104) that formats messages and addresses from the data sources, and a corresponding number of messaging servers (111-113) that receive targeted messages intended for a predetermined subset of subscribers associated with a vehicle identification number (VIN). Each messaging server can include a corresponding controller (121-123) programmed to assign (604) targeted messages to a predetermined channel and encode (606) the addresses of the targeted messages to the predetermined subset of subscribers using a VIN or portion thereof. The controller can be further programmed to transfer (608) the targeted messages and addresses to a satellite uplink (107) and satellite (110) via a messaging uplink interface (106) for retransmission and reception by a plurality of selective call receivers 109 addressable individually using a predetermined VIN or portion thereof.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for vehicle messaging, the method comprising:
 receiving a formatted group of messages from a messaging interface; 
 assigning the group of messages to a predetermined channel; and 
 encoding the group of messages based on:
 determining whether one or more wildcards are used in addressing the group of messages to a group of subscribers; and 
 determining whether a range of vehicle identification numbers (VINs) that respectively correspond to a plurality of subscribers are used in addressing the group of messages to another group of subscribers. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle messaging system of  claim 1 , further including a messaging uplink interface configured to transfer the group of messages to a satellite uplink for re-transmission to a predetermined satellite coverage area. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle messaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the group of messages correspond to a predetermined subset of subscribers associated with a vehicle having a VIN. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle messaging system of  claim 3 , wherein an address associated with the group of messages is encoded using the VIN or a portion of the VIN. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle messaging system of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of call receivers that are individually addressable using a predetermined VIN of the range of VINs or addressable in predetermined groups using a portion of a VIN of the range of VINs. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle messaging system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of call receivers are satellite radio receivers, cellular radio receivers or terrestrial frequency modulated radio receivers. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle messaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 dedicated messaging and data channels respectively corresponding to: the one or more data sources, or to a car manufacturer.